The invention relates to a method for separating meat from bone parts by pressing bone parts, having residual meat particles on them, in a bone press. The invention also relates to a device for separating meat from bones by subjecting bones with residual meat to a pressure.
In the processing of carcasses, meat is removed from the bones in various steps. In a later stage, when the bigger meat parts have already been cut off the carcasses, bones are left with residual meat particles still attached to them. These bones with residual meat particles may subsequently be placed in a bone press and be subjected to a substantive pressure. Under influence of the pressure exerted, residual meat particles will come loose from the bones and the released meat particles will flow out of the bone press through a filter while the bones remain in the bone press. The released meat material in the form of a more or less viscous meat mass can then be collected and, depending on the quality, further processed for instance for snacks or pet food. Higher quality meat material obtained using the invention may be used directly for human consumption.
The German Offenlegungsschrift DE 26 30 325 discloses a method for mechanical deboning of meat containing bones. The meat containing bones (pig or cow) are forwarded to a bone press where the bones are pressed during a first pressing step in a pressure chamber with a pressure of 240-260 atmosphere. The bones that remain after the first pressing step are removed from the bone press and then—via a conveyor—brought back in the same pressure chamber and pressed again under an enhanced pressure of approximately 300-320 atmosphere.
The UK patent application GB 2 06 258 discloses an apparatus and process for separating meat scraps from bones. The driving of a press-piston may be carried out in more than two phases. The piston may for example be moved from an initial position to an intermediate position, and then be retracted again to the initial position. Subsequently the piston may be moved back again from the initial position along to the intermediate position and then further to its final position. The retraction of the piston from the intermediate position (once or plural times) after an initial pressing step allows the addition of more meat containing bones (an additional charge) to the press-chamber after initial pressing(s). Thus, the degree of charging of the press-chamber increases.
The object of the invention is to provide an improved method and device for separating meat from bone parts by pressing bone parts in a press with enhanced quantity and/or quality of the meat harvested from bone material.